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Kyrgyzstan Court releases Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy ahead of retrial

March 28, 2026

Front line Defenders on 27 March 2026 shared an update on human rights defender Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy:

On 23 March 2026, the Leninskii District Court of the City of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, ordered the release of a woman human rights defender Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy from prison. At the preliminary session of the retrial in her case, the Court changed the measure of restraint and granted her release from the penal colony where she had been detained. Her release is conditional upon an order not to leave the country. The retrial is scheduled to begin on 7 April 2026.

Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy is a woman human rights defender and journalist. She is the director of Temirov Live and Ayt Ayt Dece. Temirov Live is a YouTube-based media outlet that investigates and reports on corruption by state and non-state actors in Kyrgyzstan, founded in 2020 by Bolot Temirov, a prominent Kyrgyzstani human rights defender and journalist. Ayt Ayt Dese is a YouTube-based project aimed at popularising human rights issues through the performance and publication of folk songs on human rights topics. Among other topics, Ayt Ayt Dese has covered investigations by Temirov Live.

On 23 March 2026, Leninskii District Court of the city of Bishkek commenced the retrial of the case of Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy with a preliminary session. The retrial was set following a decision of the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan on 10 March 2026. Based on Opinion No. 52/2025 by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial and overturned the previous rulings that sentenced the woman human rights defender to six years in prison.

At the preliminary session, Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy’s lawyers filed three motions. First, the defence attorneys requested the Court to declare the expert witness evidence from previous trials as inadmissible, arguing that authorities had pressured the expert witnesses into giving false testimonies. The issue of evidence tampering by the authorities was previously highlighted in the case of human rights defender and whistleblower Zhoomart Karabaiev, who was on trial for reporting that authorities pressured expert witnesses to provide statements supporting the prosecution. The second motion requested that the Court immediately and unconditionally ceases all judicial proceedings against Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy. The third motion sought a change in her measure of restraint, from detention in the penal colony to release under the condition that she remains in the country. While the Court denied the first two motions, it agreed to change the measure of restraint for Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, leading to her release later that day.

Upon her release, Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy expressed gratitude for the support she has received since the beginning of the prosecution against her in 2024. However, she also shared that she was subjected to psychological pressure and violence from the authorities in the penal colony, which aimed at exacerbating her isolation from the community supporting and defending her rights.

Front Line Defenders welcomes the Court’s decision to release Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, who has been targeted solely for her peaceful and legitimate human rights work. The organisation continues to call upon the authorities in Kyrgyzstan to immediately and unconditionally cease all types of persecution targeting the woman human rights defender and drop all charges against her.

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/court-releases-makhabat-tazhibek-kyzy-ahead-retrial

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UN reports that nearly 100 human rights defenders are killed every year in Colombia

March 23, 2026

During each of the last nine years around 100 human rights defenders have been assassinated in Colombia, according to a United Nations report published on 19 March 2026 [this is inline with earlier findings e.g. https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/05/13/front-line-defenders-global-analysis-2024-25/ and https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/09/18/global-witness-2023-2024-annual-report-violent-erasure-of-land-and-environmental-defenders/]

The 972 deaths recorded between 2016 and 2025 make Colombia “one of the most dangerous countries in the world” for such activists, according to the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. 

Following the historic peace accords between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016, the report noted a gradual increase in assassinations.  This was linked to the state’s inability to maintain a strong presence in areas previously controlled by the guerrilla group. 

Over 70% of identified perpetrators were armed non-state actors, with the majority of cases analyzed by the report involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, illegal logging, and human trafficking.  The number of attacks and threats against human rights defenders investigated by the UN between 2022 and 2025 was 2,018, however this is thought to represent “only a fraction” of the true number due to underreporting and the lack of efficient government records of such cases. 

The report recognized the work of the current Historic Pact (Pacto Histórico) government of Gustavo Petro, which has publicly recognized the gravity of the situation and worked to develop a national strategy to counter it. This included the 2022 law that established peace as a matter of state policy, recognizing the state’s responsibility to “guarantee human security” through a “territorial and intersectional approach”. 

However, the UN says the state’s response has failed human rights defenders due to its fragmented nature that lacks coordination between national, departmental, and municipal authorities. 

“In addition to ensuring accountability for the murders that have taken place, addressing the structural causes of this human tragedy through a comprehensive approach must be a priority for all relevant authorities in Colombia, in order to protect human rights defenders and enable them to carry out their vital work safely,” Türk said. 

High levels of impunity have also persisted, with only 55 out of the 800 cases investigated between 2022 and 2025 ending in sentencing. In over half of these cases, no suspects have been identified. 

Nearly a quarter of victims identified by the UN were Indigenous (23%) highlighting a disproportionate effect on this population that represents less than 5% of Colombians. 

Other disproportionately affected groups include Afro-Colombians, LGBTQ+ individuals, rural community leaders and environmental protectors, as well as political leaders. 

The report concluded by urging the Colombian state to take action to combat this issue, recommending institutional reforms and criminal investigations into perpetrators.

Nearly 100 human rights defenders killed every year in Colombia: UN report

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/03/colombia-urgent-action-needed-end-widespread-violence-against-human-rights

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Front Line’s Rest & Respite Programme for human rights defenders

March 17, 2026

The purpose of Front Line Defenders Rest & Respite Programme is to enable human rights defenders to take some time out and to recharge their batteries in a safe environment while at the same time enhancing their skills so that they can work more effectively when they return home.

The programme has a flexible approach and tries to respond to the needs of the HRD. Some human rights defenders are hosted in Ireland, others choose a destination closer to home, where they have a particular interest or existing contacts. It is generally for short stays ranging from one week to three months.

Human rights defenders can take some well-earned rest and escape the stressful and difficult circumstances in which they work for a short time. They can focus exclusively on their health and well-being or spend some quality time with their family. They can also choose to work on a specific project, learn about digital security or improve other skills relevant to their work.

Rest & Respite opportunities are offered on an invitation-only basis.

“This programme is great for women human rights activists who have been subjected to stressful, tense and often dangerous and threatening situations in their work.“
– HRD, Afghanistan, Rest & Respite Programme

“Before the support, I had serious burnout caused by the stress from my work, especially from a domestic violence case I was working on when I was attacked and my computer and phones taken.  I had a constant headache and was very stressed, but I’m feeling well again and am back to work.“
– HRD, Cameroon, Rest & Respite Programme

see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/03/01/guidelines-for-universities-hosting-human-rights-defenders/

as well as: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/tag/shelter-city-network/

Barcelona Guidelines on Wellbeing & Temporary International Relocation of HRDs at Risk

The PROTECTDEFENDERS.eu Temporary Relocation Programme: Supporting Defenders in the Most Challenging Contexts

https://frontlinedefenders.org/en/programme/rest-respite

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Acid Attack Against Human Rights Defender Andrie Yunus in Indonesia

March 14, 2026

Front Line, Amnesty International, Forum Asia and several newspapers reported on this shocking event: On the evening of 12 March 2026, human rights defender Andrie Yunus became the victim of a targeted acid attack by two unidentified perpetrators in Central Jakarta. The human rights defender sustained severe chemical burns, including on his hands, face, chest, and eyes. The attack occurred immediately after Andrie Yunus participated in a podcast on ‘Remilitarism and Judicial Review in Indonesia’, a central topic of his human rights work. The human rights defender fell from his motorcycle, experiencing severe pain. He was immediately brought to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment. Medical examination confirmed burns on approximately 24% of his body.

Andrie Yunus is a human rights defender and the Deputy Coordinator for External Affairs of KontraS, the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan). Founded in 1998, it is one of Indonesia’s leading human rights organisations. KontraS monitors human rights situation in Indonesia and documents cases of enforced disappearances and state violence. Andrie Yunus was among the human rights defenders and activists who participated in the Fairmont Protest in March 2025. Since then, he has repeatedly been targeted with intimidation and harassment in connection with his human rights work. At the Fairmont Protest, Andrie Yunus was part of the efforts to oppose the revision of Indonesia’s Military Law (RUU TNI), which allows active-duty military officers to hold positions in 14 state institutions without needing to resign. The ratification of this law in March 2025 led to a significant expansion of the military into civilian and political affairs.

According to KontraS, none of Andrie Yunus’s belongings were stolen during or after the attack, indicating that robbery was not the motive. The organisation affirms that the attack was premeditated as the perpetrators selected the specific time and location immediately after Andrie Yunus’s public engagement on militarism in Indonesia. This attack has been the most severe incident in the series of intimidation attempts and violations against KontraS and its staff members. Since March 2025, KontraS’s office in Jakarta has been surveiled by unidentified persons and on multiple occasions in March and April 2025, army vehicles were observed stopping outside the office and photographing the premises.

Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the acid attack against human rights defender Andrie Yunus and asserts that it was a reprisal for his legitimate and peaceful work in the promotion and protection of human rights in Indonesia. Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned that this attack forms part of a broader and escalating pattern of intimidation targeting KontraS and other human rights defenders in the country.

Moreover: Unidentified assailants ambushed Veronika Lumban Tobing in Jakarta, beating her and warning her to halt activism on corruption and indigenous land rights. This violence directly ties to her exposés on elite-driven encroachments in North Sumatra, mirroring patterns where Human Rights advocates face retaliation for public interest work.

https://impactpolicies.org/news/840/indonesias-hrd-assault-signals-free-speech-crisis-under-eit-law

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/acid-attack-against-human-rights-defender-andrie-yunus

Acid attack on human rights defender must be investigated 

https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/408402/indonesias-kontras-urges-probe-after-activist-hurt-in-acid-attack

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesian-activist-maimed-in-acid-attack-ngo-urges-probe

https://www.kompas.id/artikel/en-teror-terhadap-andrie-yunus-terindikasi-terorganisir-yusril-desak-polisi-usut-tuntas

https://forum-asia.org/andrie-yunus-attack/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=andrie-yunus-attack

https://en.tempo.co/read/2092670/andrie-yunus-case-a-test-for-indonesia-at-un-human-rights-council

https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2026/03/16/a-brutal-warning-shot-the-decisive-moment-for-indonesias-fragile-democracy.html

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/military-officers-arrested-over-acid-attack-on-human-rights-campaigner-andrie-yunus-in-jakarta/ar-AA1YUzcd?apiversion=v2&domshim=1&noservercache=1&noservertelemetry=1&batchservertelemetry=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1

Four members of the Indonesian Armed Forces have been arrested over an acid attack on a human rights activist in Jakarta

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/four-hunted-over-activist-acid-attack/gm-GM6FBB4DAA?gemSnapshotKey=GM6FBB4DAA-snapshot-0&uxmode=ruby

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/03/24/indonesia-acid-attack-against-rights-activist

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Risks for Human Rights Defenders amid war in the Middle East

March 10, 2026

On 5 March 2026, Front Line Defenders expressed deep concern over the escalating hostilities across the Middle East and their devastating impact on civilians following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory strikes by Iran against Israel and several Gulf states. In line with our mandate, we are particularly alarmed by the heightened risks faced by human rights defenders across the region, including those arbitrarily detained for their peaceful human rights work…

Human rights defenders deprived of liberty are particularly vulnerable in such contexts. During periods of conflict, detained defenders may face increased risks of ill-treatment while access to medical care, family contact, legal representation, and independent monitoring may become further restricted. The risk of such violations increases if hostilities occur in close proximity to detention facilities.

Woman human rights defender and Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi, currently detained in Zanjan prison, reported severe explosions in close proximity following airstrikes. Golrokh Iraee, Sepideh Gholian, Shima Ghooseh, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Serveh Mohammadi, Mohammad Najafi, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Reza Khandan, Ahmadreza Haeri, Taher Naghavi, Seyed Mehdi Karimi Farsi, Javad Alikordi, Abolfazl Ranjbari, Hashem Khastar, and Masoud Farhikhteh remain exposed to airstrikes. Their access to basic human needs are further restricted while detained in Tehran, Mashhad, Gilan, and other provinces.

Human rights groups are expressing concern over the deteriorating situation in Evin prison in Iran, where many human rights defenders are currently detained. Based on reports these groups have received from prisoners “the Security Ward 209 has been evacuated” and “anti-riot forces are stationed in the surrounding buildings.” Food distribution has reportedly also been disrupted. On the evening of 2 March 2026, the Israeli military forces reportedly issued an urgent evacuation order to people in the Evin neighbourhood. On 23 June 2025, during the twelve-day Israel-Iran conflict, Israeli forces attacked the Evin compound and Evin prison. Prisoners, including human rights defenders, were evacuated from the prison following the attacks. Iranian officials reported over 70 people killed from this attack on the Evin compound..

In Bahrain, there have been reports of strikes only kilometres from Jau prison where human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja continues to serve a life sentence for his peaceful human rights work alongside fellow human rights defender Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace. Front Line Defenders is also concerned over reports of arrests of defenders linked to anti-war protests in Bahrain and calls on the authorities to respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

All parties to the conflict must uphold their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and those deprived of liberty. Hospitals, schools, and other sites protected under international humanitarian law, where human rights defenders and other civilians carry out essential work and provide humanitarian assistance, must not be targeted. Authorities should also immediately release detained human rights defenders and ensure they have access to adequate healthcare, contact with family members and legal counsel, and independent monitoring.

Front Line Defenders call on the international community, states, and multilateral organisations to remain attentive to the situation of human rights defenders in the region, raise protection concerns with the relevant authorities and provide concrete support and protection measures for human rights defenders at risk, if necessary through support with temporary relocation and emergency visa support.

Front Line Defenders stands in solidarity with human rights defenders across the region who continue their work under extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances.

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/heightened-risks-human-rights-defenders-amid-escalating-hostilities-middle-east

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On 2 March 2026 woman human rights defender Yanar Mohammed was killed in Baghdad.

March 6, 2026

On 2 March 2026, woman human rights defender and feminist Yanar Mohammed was killed in an armed attack in front of her residence in northern Baghdad.

Yanar Mohammed was a prominent Iraqi woman human rights defender and feminist, and the co-founder and director of the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI). Since 2003, she had worked to protect women facing gender-based violence, including domestic abuse, trafficking, and so-called ‘honour killings.’ Under her leadership, OWFI established a network of safe houses across several Iraqi cities, providing protection and support to hundreds of women. Yanar Mohammed led these efforts despite all the ongoing impediments and risks. She was a strong advocate for secularism and women’s equality. Throughout her activism, Yanar Mohammed faced death threats and, at times, was forced to restrict her movement. {see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/01/07/women-human-rights-defenders-in-iraq-have-to-live-dangerously/]

According to an offical statement from OWFI, on 2 March 2026 at 9:00, two unidentified gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on Yanar Mohammed as she stood outside her home. She was quickly transported to the hospital, however, despite the effort of medical personnel, she succumbed to her injuries.

Reportedly, Yanar Mohammed had returned to Baghdad from Canada just a few days prior to her assassination, raising concerns about the potential surveillance and monitoring of her movements.


Read more about Yanar: vday.link/yanarmohammed

Download the urgent appeal

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/iraq-killing-woman-human-rights-defender-and-feminist-yanar-mohammed

https://www.tolerance.ca/ArticleExt.aspx?ID=598552&L=en

https://amnesty.ca/human-rights-news/ensure-accountability-yanar-mohammed-iraq/

https://civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/news/8143-iraq-assassination-of-whrd-yanar-mohammed-emblematic-figure-of-the-feminist-movement-condemned

https://jinhaagency.com/en/actual/un-calls-on-iraq-to-hold-killers-of-yanar-mohammed-accountable-and-end-impunity-38702

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Kyrgyz human-rights defender Aziza Abdirasulova awarded 2026 Raoul Wallenberg prize of CoE

March 3, 2026

Aziza Abdirasulova has displayed great courage and determination in defending human rights

Aziza Abdirasulova has displayed great courage and determination in defending human rights

Aziza Abdirasulova, a prominent human-rights defender and a pioneering independent civil society activist from Kyrgyzstan, has been awarded the 2026 Council of Europe Raoul Wallenberg prize in recognition of her efforts to protect fundamental rights with a particular focus on prisoners’ rights, freedom from torture, and the right to peaceful assembly.

At the award ceremony in Strasbourg, on 21 January 2026, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset recognised the great courage and determination of Ms Abdirasulova making an outstanding contribution to fundamental rights in Kyrgyzstan, often at great personal and physical risk.

“As one of the first independent human-rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan to document torture and arbitrary detention systematically, Aziza Abdirasulova has kept facts on the record when silence would have been easier. At a time when attention is drawn to geopolitical shifts and crises at the top, she reminds us that the Raoul Wallenberg prize brings the focus back to human-rights defenders.”

In the spirit of Raoul Wallenberg’s work, notably his single-minded determination and extraordinary courage in standing up to protect fundamental rights, the jury emphasised that Aziza Abdirasulova refused to be silenced by intimidation and harassment. Underlining the essential role of human-rights defenders in challenging times, including backsliding on human rights, the jury stressed that “her organisation Kylym Shamy has played a key role in exposing systemic human-rights violations providing legal support to victims and mobilising public opinion nationally and internationally. It has also been a vital source of credible information for the international community on human-rights issues in Central Asia. She has worked indefatigably to promote and protect freedom of assembly and the right to peaceful protest in the face of severe official restrictions on protests and public gatherings.”

Receiving the prize, Aziza Abdirasulova said: “For me, like for Raoul Wallenberg, every human life saved had and has the ultimate value. Over the years of my work, I have consistently defended fundamental human rights: freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom from torture and cruel treatment, freedom of speech and opinion. This work required not only professional knowledge but also great personal courage. I happened to witness hundreds of cases of torture, and in each case, I have tried to provide whatever support I could to the victims.”

For more on this award and its laureates, see: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/730A3159-B93A-4782-830F-3C697B0EC7A0

https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/kyrgyz-human-rights-defender-awarded-2026-raoul-wallenberg-prize

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/public-insult-human-rights-defenders-tolekan-ismailova-and-aziza-abdirasulova

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Iran – enough attention?

January 29, 2026

Several readers of this blog, who are very concerned with the situation in Iran, wonder whether the human rights world is paying enough attention. There is no agreed criterion for measuring and – for sure – what the UN and NGOs can do is anyway limited. Still, just to give an idea here a list of recent links:

Report of the 39th Special Session of the Human Rights Council on the Human Rights Situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran

https://ifex.org/iran-women-human-rights-defenders-targeted-amid-intensifying-repression/

https://www.meforum.org/mef-reports/after-the-protests-who-can-lead-iran

https://www.article19.org/resources/iran-20-days-of-shutdown-hides-full-scale-of-human-rights-abuses/

https://iranwire.com/en/news/148285-prominent-activist-warns-of-regime-scorched-earth-strategy/

Iran reform and the role of Human Rights Defenders

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601236526
https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/eu-statement-special-session-human-rights-situation-iran_en
https://freedomhouse.org/article/tipping-balance-how-support-iranians-their-tireless-struggle-freedom
https://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/iran/iran-must-be-held-accountable-for-mass-killings-of-protesters-and
https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/01/high-commissioner-turk-calls-iranian-authorities-end-their-brutal
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/iran-after-unprecedented-violence-priority-must-be-gathering-evidence-hold

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20gypw8enjo

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/01/29/8018512/

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/iran-mass-arrest-human-rights-defenders-amid-escalating-repression-civil-society

https://www.cfr.org/articles/what-are-the-global-options-for-defending-iranians-rights

https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protest-death-toll-ofogh-tv/33666963.html

https://tomdispatch.com/why-trumps-denunciations-of-the-iranian-killings-ring-fatally-hollow

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/3/game-is-over-irans-ex-leaders-hardliners-clash-after-protest-killings

https://www.eurasiareview.com/03022026-iran-publishes-protest-death-list-but-rights-groups-say-toll-is-far-higher/

https://www.eurasiareview.com/05022026-iran-human-rights-situation-spirals-deeper-into-crisis-hrw-says/

https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/02/09/power-struggle-in-iran-as-revolutionary-guards-arrest-presidents-allies/

https://www.ukrinform.net/amp/rubric-economy/4091781-canada-expands-sanctions-on-iran-over-crackdown-on-protesters.html

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202602173504

https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-02-18/mai-sato-un-special-rapporteur-on-iran-military-action-is-not-a-magic-solution.html

https://newlinesinstitute.org/middle-east-center/punishing-vulnerability-irans-minority-crackdown-after-the-12-day-war/

https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/iran-war-womens-rights-democracy

Opinion: Iran is already ramping up its next war. Guess who the ‘enemy’ is.

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Human rights lawyers couple Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha sentenced to jail in Pakistan

January 27, 2026

Several media (such as the CSR Journal and Barrons) and NGO (Frontline) talk about the case of human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband and fellow lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha who were sentenced 10-year-jail by an Islamabad court on 24 January 2026 over anti-state social media posts. However, the pressure and arrest haven’t been able to silence her voice. She said to media agencies, “We will not back down. Truth seems overwhelmingly difficult in this country. But we knew that when we got into this work, we’re ready to face that,”. Mazari noted that the prison term won’t dent her resolve.

Imaan Mazari is a 32-year-old human rights lawyer from Pakistan who rose to fame for fighting some of the most sensitive cases and she has been defending ethnic minorities, journalists facing defamation charges and some of her clients have been branded blasphemers. With Mazari’s coming to prominence, so did the charges by the Pakistani government for cyber terrorism and hate speech. As per a court document, Mazari has been disseminating highly offensive content.

Mazari comes from a well-known family, she is the daughter of former minister for human rights, Shireen Mazari, and her late father was one of the top paediatricians of South Asia. Because of her strong determination of fighting back despite all odds, she is being compared to Pakistan’s one of the popular human rights lawyers, late Asma Jahangir. [see: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/laureates/14CC52FE-5F1B-4EF8-B1F5-607ED173AACC]

Mazari is a pro bono lawyer, she has handled some of the most sensitive cases in Pakistan, e.g. enforced disappearances of ethnic Balochs, she defended Mahrang Baloch. She has also taken up blasphemy cases.

Last year, the UN special rapporteur for human rights defenders said, “Cases against her appear to reflect an arbitrary use of the legal system to harass and intimidate”. She was first targeted in a press conference held sometime in early January, where a military spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, shared Mazari’s post on X posts and filed a case against her, stating her as, “hidden elements committing subtle crimes. They operate under the guise of democracy and human rights to promote terrorism,”.

https://thecsrjournal.in/from-courtroom-prison-who-imaan-mazari-pakistan-human-rights-lawyer/

https://www.barrons.com/news/defiance-as-a-profession-pakistan-s-jailed-lawyer-imaan-mazari-07a01d94

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/imaan-zainab-mazari-and-hadi-ali-chattha-violently-arrested-despite-court-order

https://ommcomnews.com/world-news/un-experts-alarmed-by-conviction-of-pakistani-lawyers-and-human-rights-defenders

https://www.civicus.org/index.php/fr/medias-ressources/112-news/8102-pakistan-overturn-conviction-and-release-human-rights-lawyers-imaan-zainab-mazari-and-hadi-ali-chattha

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Human Rights Defenders in Greece on trial for baseless charges for assisting people on the move; and end up being acquitted.

November 21, 2025

On 18 November 2025 Frontline published an urgent appeal that I – as a resident of Greece – with some shame share [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2022/07/28/human-rights-defenders-in-greece-my-adopted-country-not-doing-well/]:

On 4 December 2025, 24 human rights defenders, including Seán Binder and Athanasios (Nassos) Karakitsos, will appear before the Mytilene Court of Appeals, on the island of Lesvos. This comes seven years (!!) after their initial arrests. The human rights defenders are facing felony charges of ‘membership of a criminal organisation’, ‘facilitation of the entry of third country nationals into the country’, and ‘money laundering’. The charges stem from work carried out by the defenders in Greece between 2016 and 2018, where they assisted people on the move whose lives were at risk while trying to reach safety to the island of Lesvos. If convicted, they face up to 20 years of imprisonment.

Seán Binder and Athanasios (Nassos) Karakitsos are migrant rights defenders who worked with Emergency Response Center International (ERCI) between 2016 and 2018. The humanitarian work carried out by ERCI was extensive, and included helping more than 1000 people reach safety, organising workshops and swimming classes for migrant children in the Kara Tepe camp, and providing residents in the Moria camp with medical assistance. ERCI was registered as a non-governmental organisation and regularly cooperated with Greek authorities, including with the Greek Coast Guard on rescue operations. The organisation was dissolved after the criminalisation of its members and volunteers.

In September 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeals’ decision, delivered on 13 January 2023, to dismiss four misdemeanour charges of ‘forgery’, ‘espionage’, ‘possession of unlicensed radio’ and ‘infringement of state secrets’ faced by Seán Binder and seven other non-Greek speaking defenders. This was due to procedural flaws, including key documents, such as the indictments, having not been translated for the accused. In January 2024, the remaining sixteen human rights defenders, including Athanasios (Nassos) Karakitsos, were acquitted of the same charges. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2021/11/17/greeces-mistaken-deterrence-migrants-and-aid-workers-facing-heavy-prison-sentences/]

On 21 August 2018, Lesvos Police arrested Seán Binder after he attended the police station voluntarily, having learned that another human rights defender had been arrested earlier that day. In the following days, they also arrested Athanasios (Nassos) Karakitsos, the field director of ERCI at the time. The human rights defenders were kept in pre-trial detention for more than one hundred days, accused of ‘people smuggling’, ‘money laundering’, ‘espionage’, and ‘membership of a criminal organisation.’ In December 2018, the human rights defenders were conditionally released on bail.

The upcoming trial is the second court case since 2018 initiated against the 24 human rights defenders based on their work, aiding, assisting and saving the lives of migrants and refugees, who were trapped in the Aegean Sea between Türkiye and Greece.

Front Line Defenders calls on the authorities in Greece to:

Immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Seán Binder and Athanasios (Nassos) Karakitsos, and the other 22 human rights defenders who are also on trial;

  1. Cease the criminalisation of human rights defenders who peacefully defend the rights of the migrants and refugees, including the humanitarian assistance to save the lives of people stranded at the marine and land borders;
  2. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Greece are able to carry
  3. out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions, including judicial harassment.

Download the urgent appeal

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/human-rights-defenders-trial-baseless-charges-assisting-people-move

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/north-west-kerry-news/in-limbo-for-seven-years-kerry-man-sean-binder-to-face-trial-in-greece-over-humanitarian-work/a40232245.html

https://www.occrp.org/en/news/greek-court-to-hear-case-against-aid-workers-allegedly-smuggling-migrants

perhaps Tunisia can show the way: https://macaubusiness.com/tunisia-court-frees-ngo-workers-accused-of-helping-migrants

and then the good news:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/16/syrian-swimmer-sarah-mardini-cleared-by-greek-court-over-migrant-rescues

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/01/15/humanitarians-cleared-of-bogus-charges-in-greece

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/01/29/greek-immigration-bill-demonizes-civil-society

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/02/06/greek-coast-guard-under-scrutiny-for-migrant-deaths

but it continue in 2026

https://euobserver.com/202747/greece-moves-to-arrest-nordic-aid-worker-supporting-migrants

and

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/02/16/greece-continues-its-relentless-assault-on-civil-society

https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/norway-release-human-rights-defender-tommy-olsen-and-reject-his-extradition-to-greece/

https://impactpolicies.org/news/844/olsen-case-exposes-clash-between-refugee-pushback-secrecy-and-transparency

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